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Grieving mother wants to see daughter's last minutes alive

By Christopher Scott, cscott@lowellsun.com

Updated:
07/03/2013 03:08:33 PM EDT

LOWELL -- The lawyer representing the mother of a Lowell woman who died in police custody in January on Wednesday requested from the city cell-block surveillance video depicting Alyssa Brame's last moments alive.

"I don't care how bad it is," Brame's mother, Alice Swiridowski-Muckle said in a telephone interview from her home in Connecticut. "Did my daughter go hard? Did my daughter go easy? I need to see it. I need it for closure."

Brame, who gave her address as 94 Rock St., Lowell, which is a homeless shelter, was booked at the police station on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 11:07 p.m., according to arrest logs. She was charged with one count of sexual conduct for pay.

Brame was transported to Lowell General Hospital-Saints Campus and arrived there at 12:57 a.m., Sunday. Eleven minutes later she was pronounced dead at 1:08 a.m., Swiridowsky-Muckle said. She said a doctor called her Sunday morning about 2 a.m. and informed her of her daughter's death.

Swiridowsky-Muckle recently contacted The Sun with the results of toxicology tests performed on her daughter. They revealed that Brame died of acute-alcohol poisoning. Swiridowsky-Muckle believes he daughter would be alive today if the Police Department had treated her with "dignity."

In his request to the city, Drew Glassroth, a lawyer in the Boston office of attorney Howard Friedman, wrote: "As you know, Alyssa died in police custody on January 13, 2013. Media reports indicate that surveillance cameras inside the police station recorded much of Alyssa's time in custody, including her death.

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It appears from these reports that multiple people have now seen the video, but Alyssa's mother, Alice Swiridowski-Muckle, has not been permitted to view it. The video is a public record within the meaning of G. L. c. 4, 7, c1. 26, and there is no basis for withholding it from public inspection. Alyssa's mother deserves to see how her daughter died. In addition, the public has a strong interest in seeing how its police officers handled this medical emergency."

A review by Assistant Middlesex District Attorney Adrienne Lynch of how the Police Department handled the Brame matter determined no one broke the law. The Police Department will now conduct its own review, using a three-member Board of Review. Such boards are only convened for more serious matters.

Swiridowsky-Muckle was complimentary of Lynch from the DA's office. But Swiridowski-Muckle is paying no heed to Lynch's advice against viewing the surveillance footage.

"It seems to me my daughter was like an animal in a cage," Swiridowski-Muckle said.

Police Department protocol is that the booking procedure be overseen by the shift's commanding officer. It's up to the CO to determine whether a prisoner requires medical attention.

Lt. Thomas Siopes was the commanding officer who oversaw Brame's booking. At about midnight, however, the shift changed and command duties were assumed by Capt. Thomas Meehan.

Friedl declined to say whether she thought the Brame incident was handled appropriately by Siopes and Meehan.

"I really need to see the DA's report and we need to do our own investigation before I can comment on a question like that," said Friedl. "Obviously, the outcome isn't what we want to happen. Our investigation will show what happened so this doesn't happen again."

Asked if the police department would provide surveillance footage to Swiridowsky-Muckle, Friedl deferred to the city's Law Department. She did say, however, that since the Police Department is conducting its own inquiry, it's unlikely any related records would be released until the probe is concluded.

City Solicitor Christine O'Connor was unavailable for comment. Assistant City Solicitor Kenneth Rossetti declined to comment, except to say: "If the city receives a record's request it will be reviewed and acted upon accordingly."

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